Submitted by Denise McAllan Dekker, photo by Barbara Florez on Wed, 02/22/2012 - 11:27
A cross between a tangerine and orange, Royal Mandarins are also known as tangors or Temple mandarins. Our current offerings of Royal Mandarins are grown by Rucker Homestead in Coachella Valley, California, where citrus has been cultivated since the 1870s. Rucker Homestead has grown Royal Mandarins for almost thirty years and their expertise shows; this variety is notoriously fickle with regard to growing conditions and cannot endure any moisture. With an orange-red ‘zipper’ skin, Royals are best eaten fresh; they are easy to peel and the flesh yields a delicate, sweet, aromatic flavor. For some variation, try juicing the Royals and make a blend with other citrus juices. Ask your salesperson for some Royal Mandarins today!